Down bag for Scandi winter use, suggestions please

[Chris the Cat]

As the title says.
Happy with my Snugpak Antartica RE but thinking of making my first down purchase, main consideration being a reduction in weight and pack space.
Can't break the bank on this so £200 is my upper limit.
I have some experience in sub-zero camping so any user recommendations in this area very welcome.
Many thanks.
C

 

[Janne]

What temperature do you want it to down to? -30, -40C?

Marmot make a couple models that are very good. Fjallraven too, but that one is over your budget sadly.

 

[Robson Valley]

Forgot the brand but I bought a bag with a barrel-shape, wider in the middle that at the top or bottom
Bottom half of the bag is Hollowfill, top half is goose down, down tubes behind the zipper, down-filled hood.

I'd think of a better tent and some additional heat source tent stove as well.

 

[Chris the Cat]

Forgot the brand but I bought a bag with a barrel-shape, wider in the middle that at the top or bottom
Bottom half of the bag is Hollowfill, top half is goose down, down tubes behind the zipper, down-filled hood.

I'd think of a better tent and some additional heat source tent stove as well.

As I said, I have plenty of cold weather experience, and more than adequate kit, its the down bag part that I have no experience of.
Yours sounds interesting, but hard to find without a name, cheers.

 

[Chris the Cat]

What temperature do you want it to down to? -30, -40C?

Marmot make a couple models that are very good. Fjallraven too, but that one is over your budget sadly.

Thanks, I shall have a look at Marmot. Cheers for that.

 

[Billy-o]

So already this is £100 over your budget, but maybe a thing to use in conjunction with other things you already have.

Perfect summer bag, and silly light/compactable, as well as being able to slide into another bag.

https://www.phdesigns.co.uk/filler-down-sleeping-bag?osCsid=35ap44u3l45v9bp598inu2o974

A winter down bag for under £200 is quite an ask .. .unless you can find a sale on a second

 

[Chris the Cat]

Pretty sure the price cap of £200 will be my nemesis!

 

[Billy-o]

Problem is that cheap down or duck feather is heavier than the bag you already have. The ones with poly fill in the bottom (floor) side and down in the top side are both popular and affordable here

A 'layered' approach might be one to think of for keeping prices down, or staggering your investment. I have a very minimally specced -10C bag and a bells and whistles windstopper -20C bag. One can go inside the other. Got them both at sale prices. A light bivvy bag over this, well-dressed (woolen longs, hat, socks and nose warmer), with a good sleeping mat and inside your tent ... well, I can't be accurate but you'd be pretty freaking warm, especially if you included one of those Zippo handwarmers to the equation.

Then you also end up with flexible kit that will cover you from summer to brass monkeys. A decent cold weather down bag is a thousand dollars ... and you can only use it in the really chilly. Its worse than useless if the weather is a bit too warm for it

 

[Winnet]

Alpkit do some decent bags that don't break the bag.

G



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[Chris the Cat]

Alpkit do some decent bags that don't break the bag.

G



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Thanks pal, but for the spec I need its well North of £200.

 

[Chris the Cat]

Problem is that cheap down or duck feather is heavier than the bag you already have. The ones with poly fill in the bottom (floor) side and down in the top side are both popular and affordable here

A 'layered' approach might be one to think of for keeping prices down, or staggering your investment. I have a very minimally specced -10C bag and a bells and whistles windstopper -20C bag. One can go inside the other. Got them both at sale prices. A light bivvy bag over this, well-dressed (woolen longs, hat, socks and nose warmer), with a good sleeping mat and inside your tent ... well, I can't be accurate but you'd be pretty freaking warm, especially if you included one of those Zippo handwarmers to the equation.

Then you also end up with flexible kit that will cover you from summer to brass monkeys. A decent cold weather down bag is a thousand dollars ... and you can only use it in the really chilly. Its worse than useless if the weather is a bit too warm for it

Agree.
May just have sell one of my knives and put the money towards. Don't want to end up with a bulkier or heavier system than I already have.
Cheers. C.

 

[C_Claycomb]

What kind of camping do you do? A super warm bag, for a special trip north, might be tempting, but will you really be able to make the most from it? Also, what have you got to sleep on top of? I haven't been really really cold (-15 to -20C only), but even at that level good under insulation was really important. On top I used a Marmot Helium bag and a Sierra Sniveller quilt in combination. I can use either one by themselves in warmer weather (by which I mean, in a hammock, down to freezing).

I think that you may be optimistic about what you can get and budget. Just looked on ebay at used down bags, and even used, the good ones, and or the ones for deep cold, are more than your stated budget (looking at new bags).
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...&LH_ItemCondition=3000&_trksid=p2045573.m1684

Not much help I know.

 

[baggins]

PHD often have sales on. My good lady got a -30 rated bag in on of their sales for about £250 (and that included a short length, extra foot insulation and side baffle insulation. Its a fab bag and well worth double what she paid.

 

[Woody girl]

There are places you can rent kit. Might be worth finding out then you can try before you buy and possibly make an expensive mistake. I'll try and find out for you and let you know. I went to sweden in January a couple of years ago and rented some stuff which was a lot cheaper as it was a one off trip. I can't remember offhand the firm I used .

 

[Woody girl]

Ok here it is.www.expeditionkithire. co. uk
They do Rab bags which might suit you. The standard hire period is I think about 2 weeks though you can rent for longer or shorter periods.

 

[SGL70]

roberts.pl perhaps?

 

[Le Loup]

I am not a fan of sleeping bags, they can be difficult to get out of in an emergency. I only ever use a pure wool blanket.
There are three main causes of death involved with campers & hikers. 1) They do not go prepared properly in the first place, not allowing for a sudden turn in the weather. 2) They build their fires too big, the fire gets out of control & burns all their modern synthetic sleeping bags, tent & clothing & they die from exposure. 3) They get wet & their modern clothing & sleeping bag does not keep them warm once wet.
Down bags are inflammable, as are synthetics. Pure wool is not inflammable & it will still keep you warm even when wet.

I only ever camp out in winter.
Keith.

 

[Billy-o]

Out of interest Le Loup, in -10C/15F how many blankets would you sleep under? I've slept out with blankets a bunch, but only in summer. Or, is it more you just cwtch up by the fire?

 

[Janne]

The choice of bag depends on expected temp.
One negative aspect with down is that it is very important to kerp the down dry, be it from outside ( melting snow) or inside ( evaporation from body)

The internal humidity need to be dried out every morning.

I personally preferred 100% down.

Using blankets can be done, but then you need to know exactly what you are doing. Despite having extensive experience from sleeping outside in the Arctic, it is not something I would try myself.

A Scandinavian winter can range from +10 C in the south, to -50 C in the North, that is away from the wind.

 

[SGL70]

Choosing a couple of blankets instead of a sleeping bag isn't really practical....and the reasons beeing fear of death(wt*?) is simply raging alarmism. Also, funny in a way.

I'd look for bargain amongst the big brands or get a custom made from www.roberts.pl

Greger